Foldable and portable stock-pen.



W. 0. SMITH.

FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE STOCK PEN.

uruonxqs mum nu. 29,1909.

Patnted Feb. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WI 01 FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE s'rocx PEN.

Arruon'lon rum) MAR. 29; 1909.

Patented Feb; 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nucnlfot William G Smith Cuban);

, w'. 0. SMITH. FOLDABLE AND POBTABLBJSTOGK PEN. v

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1909. 948,35 1 Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-32111. 3.

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IIIDREW I. mum! on. mm-mmarngns WAMINGIOU, IL a W. 0. SMITH,

FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE STOCK PEN.

W UNITED strnt as PATENT OFFICE.

. WILLIAM C. SMITH, OF KEARNEY, MISSOURI.

FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE STOCK-PEN.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM G. SMITH, a citizen of. the United States,residing at Kearney, in the county of Clay, State of description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to foldable and portable stock pens, moreparticularly to 7 devices of this character employed for protecting, andrestraining and housing hogs,

but which may be adapted without materlal structural changes to stock ofdiflerent kinds, and has for one of its objects to im- ..prove theconstruction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of thischaracter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice which may be folded into relatively small space when 1 not inuse, or when it is t0 be transported or stored, and readily extenslblefor use and adapted to be located at any required point.

Another object of the device is to provide a portable stock pen whichmay be readily moved from place to place Without detaching any of theparts. a

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certalnnovel features of construction as hereafter shown and described.

The devicemay be constructed of any required size or of any suitablematerial, but will preferably be of wood suitably bolted or otherwisefastened together and comprises in general a yard or inclosure and ashelter house or shed communicating with the yard or inclosure, andpreferably arranged in series, or with a number of *the yards orinclosures and their shelter sheds foldably connected, and for thepurpose of illustration, two of the foldable devices are shownconnected, but it will be understood that it is not desired to limit theinvention a to any particular number of the connected devices.

In the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device initsopen or operative position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is afront elevation. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 29, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 486,550.

5 is a plan view illustrating the manner of employing the device forholding hogs while rings are being applied to their noses. Fig. 6 1s afront elevation of the device for bolding the nose of an animal while aring is.

being applied. Fig. 7 is a section on tile 'line 77 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 isa side eleva- 'tus comprises a central stationary sill and a centralstationary division wall or fence extending from the central sill, sidesills spaced from the central sill and provided with side walls orfences and foldably connected to the central sill. The fences ordivision walls extend for a portion only of the lengths of the sills,and the improved shelter shedsare foldably connected to each other andlikewise connected to the portions of the sills not occupied by thedivision walls and fences.

The stationary central sill is represented at 10, and rising from thiscentral sill is a vertical outer post 11 and a vertical inner post 12,the vertical posts being connected by spaced rails 13, the posts andrails thus forming a fencelike structure.

The post 12 is located at some distance from one end of the sill l0, andin practice the fence structure comprised in the posts 1211 and rails 13occupies about twothirds of the length of the sill, but it will beunderstood that these proportions may be altered as required.

The side rails are represented respectively at 14-15, and are of thesame length as the central sill 10. The sill 14: is provided spacedvertical posts 16-17 connected by rails 18, while the sill 15 isprovided with spaced vertical posts 1920 connected by rails 21. Theposts l1-1619 are arranged at one end of the sills 101415 while theposts 12-l7--20 are located. intermediate the sills and in alinementtransversely. The three fence structures are thus uniform in size andform the side walls of two yards or pens as hereafter explained.

Pivoted at their adjacent ends to the central sill 10 at one end therofare links or bars 2223, and pivoted respectively to the side sills 1415at one end are similar links 2425, the links 22-2 1 being hingedlyunited at their confronting ends. Pivoted to the opposite ends of thecentral. sill are links 25-26, and pivotally united respectively to theside sills 14-15 are links 28 27. The links 2527 are hingedly united attheir confronting ends, while the links 2628 are similarly hingedlyunited at their confronting ends. By this means the side sills togetherwith their fence structures may be moved toward and away from thecentral sill by folding the links upwardly as shown in Fig. 9, orextended as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The shelter structures are associated with the yards or pens which arelocated respectively between the sills 10 and 1 1 and the sills 1015.One of the shelter structures consists of rafters 29-30 hingedly unitedat their lower ends respectively to the side sill 14 and the centralsill 10, and likewise hingedly united at their confronting or upperends, the rafters being thus arranged when in open position obliquely tothe transverse planes of the sills. The rafter members 29-30 are coveredby sheathing material 31-32. By this arrangement when the rafters 293Oand their sheathing or covering members are arranged in their openposition, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, an efficientshelter is providedcommunicating with the yard or pen which is defined by the fencestructures carried by the sills 10-14. Hingedly united to the rafters 29and its sill member 31 is a closure 33, adapted to close the outer endof the shelter as shown. The closure 33 is provided with a suitablefastening device such as a hasp 3 1 and staple 35 through which a pin 36may be passed.

The shelter for the yard or pen which is located between the sills 10-15is constructed precisely like the shelter just described, and isconstructed of rafters 3738, cover members 394-0 and a hinged closure41, the latter provided with suitable fastening means as shown. By thisarrangement it will be understood that when the closures 3341 arereleased the shelter devices will fold together with the inner faces ofthe rafters bearing against each other when the sill members are movedinwardly or toward each other as before described. The shelter portionsof the device are thus foldable to gether with the sill members andtheir fences and division members as will be obvious.

Located between the cover portions 3240 is an angular closure structure44 to fill the gap which would otherwise occur between the cover members3240 and the central fence structure 111213. The closure structure 4-1is detachably supported in position by suitable hooks and staples 45-4647.

Located between the side structures 1821 adjacent to the portions 3139of the shelter devices are angular shaped closure structures 10910et.These closure structures are hingedly united as shown at 105106respectively to the shelter members 3931, as shown, and are likewiseconnected by suitable hook devices 107108 to the side structures 1821.By this means the closure structures 109104 are foldable respectivelyupon the shelter structures 3931 when the device is arranged in foldedposition as shown in Fig. 9.

Connected to the posts 19 is a three part hinge formed of three leaves18-4950, the leaf 48 being secured by screws or other fastening means tothe rails 21 and the posts 19, while the leaf 50 is secured by screws orother fastening means to a gate structure represented as a whole at 51.The gate 51 is designed to close the otherwise open end of the yard orpen which is located between the sills 1015. The central leaf 49 isprovided with an intermediate slot which is arranged to fit over arotatable hook 52 extending from the post 19. By this means when thegate 51 is closed .the hook 52 will project through the slot in the leaf49, and then by turning the hook one-fourth of a revolution it will forma lock to hold the hinged leaf connected to the post, and thusswingingly couple the gate 51 to the fence structure 192021. When thusarranged the gate 51 forms a movable closure to the yard or pen, as willbe understood.

The post 11 is provided with a slidable staple 53 with which a hook 54on the gate 51 engages to secure the gate in its closed position. Thestaple 53 is arranged to be withdrawn into the post 11 when not in useto permit the link 23 to fold in close relations to the post as shown inFig. 11.

WVhen the device is to be folded the hooks 52 5 1 are released and thegate 51 swung around in parallel relations to the outer face of thefence structure 192021. The triple form of the hinge by which the gateis supported is thus an important feature of the device and enables thegate to be disposed in convenient position when the device is to befolded.

Connected to the rails 18 and the post 16 is another three part hingeformed of three leaves 5556-57, the leaf 55 being connected by screws orother fastening means to the rails 18 and the post 16, while the leaf 57is secured by screws or other fastening means to an end member 58 of agate struc- -ture which operates as a closure to the yard or pen whichis defined by the sills 10-14, the construction of this latter gate tobe hereafter described.

The central hinge leaf 56 is provided with an intermediate slot adaptedto engage over arotatable hook 58 similar to the hook 52 of the firstdescribed gate,'a;id operating in the same manner to hold the hingedleaf 56 in locked position relative to the post 16 when the gate is notclosed as shown.

, at their ends respectively to the end members,as shown, so that therails operate as radius bars to enable the outer end member 59 tobeadjusted upwardly and downwardly.

. The end member 59 is provided with a plu- Q engage in the notches 61.

rality of spaced notches 61, and swinging at 62 from the end member 58is a brace 63, the

' free end of the brace being provided with notches 64 corresponding toand adapted to By this means it will be obvious that by adjusting thebrace with its notches 64L engaging in the notches '61. at a higher orlower point, the outer or free end of the gate structure may be ad.-

justecl correspondingly.

Connected to the outer gatemember 59 are spaced keepers 65, and slidablyarranged for operation through. these keepers is a stand ard 66 having aplurality of spaced sockets 67 with which a pin 68 is designed to beengaged through one of the keepers, to adjust when the gate is adjustedvertically as before described, the foot-board 71 will move withplained.

members 58 the standard vertically as hereafter ex- Hingedly united at69.-70 to the gate '59 is a runway or foot-board 71. The hinges 69-70areunited by a single bolt to the gate members 5859 so that the gate, toprevent cramping between the parts when the adjustments are made.

. Hinged at 72 to the post 11. is a relatively narrow gate like couplingstructure. 7 3 to whose free end theend member 74 of another gatestructure is hinged at 75, this last mentioned gate structure comprisingthe inner end member 74 outer end member 76 and rail members 77. Therail members are each united to .theend members by a single bolt, sothatthe free end of this gate structure \may be adjusted vertically. Theend mempoint of elevation. Connected to the end member 76 are keepers82, and slidable through these. keepers is a standard83 provided' withaplurality of spaced apertures to receive a pin 84 .operating through theBy this means the standard is adapted to be adjusted vertically.

The end members 74 76 are provided with supporting hooks 8586 over whichloops 87S8 engage to couple the foot boar 71 to the gate structure 7 l767 7 The adjustable gate and foot board just described when thus coupledform a con- .venient and efficient chute whereby hogs may be readilydischarged singly from the yard or pen.

W Vhen it is desired to arrange the chute or discharge portion of thedevice for its simpler purposes the standards 6683 will be adjustedvertically with their lower ends bearing upon the ground, and thuseffectually supporting the outer end ofthechute structure. When it isdesired to employ the chute structure for loading hogs into i a Wagon orother elevated receptacle, the braces 6380 are adjusted to supporttheouter ends of the chute structures in an elevated position or with thefree end ofthe foot board level with the floor of the wagon, and at thesame time adjust the standards 6683 to support the structure from theground, the range of the standards being sufficient to support the faceends of the charged from both pens through one chute structure.

Formed upon the end member 76 are studs or pintle members 88 over whicheyes 89 on a frame 90 are adapted to be disposed to hingedly connect theframe to the end member. At its opposite end the frame 90 is providedwith a latch 91 and a bolt 92 by which it may be coupled to the endmember 59. The frame 90 thus forms a closure to the outer end of thechute. Connected to the frame 90 is a partial closure plate 93, andslidably arranged within the frame is another partial closure plate 94,the confronting edges of the plates being reversely concaved orhollowed. The two members 9394 are thus adapted to hold the snout. ornose of a hog while a ring is being applied thereto.

Connected to the frame 90 is a bracket 95, and swinging at 96 in thisbracket is a lever 97, the lever being pivotally united to the slidingplate 94:, so that when the lever is actuated the plate will becorrespondingly actuated or moved toward or away fromthe tion and thusform a lock device between the lever and the frame. By this means anygrip which may be obtained upon the slidable member 94 may be retained,as will be obvious.

By arranging the frame 90 and its attachments across the outlet of thechute and .operating the lever to close the slidable plate, a hog may befirmly held in position while the rings are being applied with the usualimplements employed for this purpose.

'The post 11 is provided with a slidable staple 102 corresponding to theslidable staple 53, to receive a hasp on the gate member 59 and throughwhich a pin or other fastening device may be inserted, to lock the gatein position, the slidable staples providing for the passage of the links2223 when the device is arranged in folded position, as will be obvious.

The hooks 47 48 of the closure member 44 will be adapted to engage withslidable staples arranged to be withdrawn into the adjacent rafters ofthe shelter devices, in the same manner as the staples 53-102 arearranged to be withdrawn, so that the rafters will move in closeproximity to post 12 when folded as will be understood.

The sills 101415 rest upon the ground, and when the improved device isto be'transported from place to place it is only necessary to hitch ateam thereto and drag it to any required point. When it is deslred tochange the locality of the device for any reason, if the new locality isnot too far distant, the device may be dragged over the ground withoutremoving the hogs therefrom, as the hogs will follow the movements ofthe pens and shelters.

The improved device will be found very convenient for use by farmers whomay desire to move their stock pens from one place to another upon thefarm, or who may desire to shelter or protect stock for a short time ortemporarily.

lVhen it is desired to fold the apparatus the movable gate structuresare released and arranged in position parallel to and against the outerfence structures. The closure members 33-41 are then released and foldedrespectively upon the covers 31 39, the closure structure 44 removed,the closures 33-41 disconnected and folded respectively upon theclosures 39-31, and the hinged links buckled or folded upwardly and thesill members moved into relatively close proximity as shown in Fig. 9.The improved device when in this condition may be readily transported orshipped as required.

Extending from the gate member 59 is a hasp 88 arranged to bear over astaple 102 on the vertical member 11, so that the gate may be locked inposition by a. pin 103, as shown.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensivelyconstructed from any suitable material and of any suitable capacity. Theshelter structures bein pointed or roof like in form effectually sherain and snow and thus protect the animals.

hat is claimed, is

1. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing fence structure, sidefence structures spaced from the central fence structure, means forcoupling said side fence structures tosaid central structure, andshelter devices connected to said central and side fence structures,said side fence structures being movable toward and away from each otherand said shelter structures foldable together.

2. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing fence structure, sidefence structures spaced from the central fence structure, means forcoupling said side fence structures to said central 1 fence structurefor movement toward and away from each other, shelter structuresconnected to fold between said central fence structure and side fencestructures, closures movably connected between said side fencestructures and central fence structure, and closures movably connectedto said shelter structure.

3. In a portable stock pen, a central longitudinal sill, side sillsarranged. in parallel relations to said central sill, means forconnecting said side sills and central sill for movement toward and awayfrom each other, a dividing fence structure extending vertically fromsaid central sill, side fence structures extending vertically from saidside sills, shelter structures connected respectively to said centralsill and to said side sills and foldable between the same, closuresbetween said side fence structures and central fence structure, andclosures to said shelter structures.

4. In a portable stock pen, a central longitudinal sill, side sillsarranged in parallel relations to said central sill, means forconnecting said side sills and central sill for movement toward and awayfrom each other, a division fence structure extending from said centralsill, side fence structures extending from said side sills, shelterstructures movably connected respectively to said central sill and sidesills, and foldable between the same, closures between said side fencemovably connected thereto and closures to said shelter structures andfoldable over the same.

5. In a portable stock pen, a central longitudinal sill, side sills,arranged in parallel said side fence structures and central struc-'tures.

6. In a portable stock pen a central dividmg fence structure, slde fencestructures,

means for coupling said side fence structures to said central fencestructure for movement toward and away from each other, shelterstructures formed of side members connected respectively to said centralfence structure and side fence structures and extending obliquelytherefrom, closures connected bet-ween said dividing structure and saidside fence structures, closures between 7 said side fence structures andsaid shelter structure, a closure between said shelter structures, andclosures connected to said shelter structures at their outer ends.

7. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing fence structure, sidefence structures, means for coupling said side fence structures to saidcentral fence structure for movement toward and away from the same,shelter structures connected to said central and side fence structures,closures to said shelter structures, and closures extending between saiddividing fence structures and said side fence structure.

8. In a portable stock pen a central dividing structure, sidestructures, means for coupling said side structures to said centralstructure for movement toward and away formthe same, shelter structuresformed of side members connected respectively to said central structureand side structures, and eX- tending obliquely therefrom, closuresconnected between said dividing structure and side structures, closuresbetween said side fence structures and said shelter structure, a closurebetween said shelter structures, and closures connected to said shelterstructures at their outer ends.

9. In a portable stock pen, a central longitudinal sill, side sillsarranged in parallel relations to said central sill, means forconnecting said side sills and central sill for movement toward and awayfrom each other, a dividing fence structure extending from said centralsill, side fence structures extending from said side sills, shelterstructures comprising rafter members hingedly united at their outer endsto said sill members and hingedly united to each other at theirconfronting ends, cover members engaging over said rafters, closuresconnected between said central dividing fence structure and said sidefence structures, closures connected to the outer ends of said shelterstructures, and movable closures between said shelter structures andsaid dividing fence structure and side fence structures.

10. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing fence structure having atransverse opening, a closure for said opening, side fence structures,means for coupling said side fence structures to said central structure,shelter structures connected to said cen tral and side fence structures,closuresvconnected to said shelter structures, closures connected tosaid side fence structures, a runway connected to one of said closures,a guard structure mounted to swing from said central dividing fencestructure, means for coupling said guard structure to said runway, andmeans arranged to support the free end of said runway.

11. In a portable stock pen a central dividing fence structure, sidefence structures, means for coupling said side fence structures to saidcentral fence structure for movement toward and away from the same, aclosure swinging from one of said side fence structures and comprisingend members and a plurality of spaced rails, the rails being connectedto the end members by a single boltand one of the end members providedwith a plurality of notches, a brace connected to swing from the otherend member and engaging at its free end in said notches, a runwayconnected to said end members, a guard device mounted to swing from thecentral dividing fence structure, said guard device consisting of endmembers and a plurality of spaced rails each rail being coupled at eachend respectively to the end members by a single bolt, and one of the endmembers of the guard device being provided with a plurality of notches,a brace connected to swing from the other end member of the guard deviceand engaging at its free end in the last mentioned notches, means forcoupling the end members of said guard device to said runway, andstandards connected respectively to said movable closure and movableguard device.

12. In a portable stock a dividing fence structure, side fencestructures, means for movably coupling said side fence structures tosaid central fence structure for movementtoward and away from the same,shelter structures connected to said central and side fence structures,closures connected to said side fence structures, a runway connected toone of said closures, a guard device mounted to swing from said centraldividing fence structure, means for coupling said guard structure tosaid runway, a frame detachably connected above said runway, astationary member within said frame, a slidable member Within saidframe, the confronting edges of said slidable and said stationarymembers being reversely concaved, means for actuating said slidablemember, closures between said dividing fence structure and said sidestructures, and closures for said shelter structures.

13. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing fence structure, sidefence structures, means for coupling said side fence structures to saidcentral fence structure for movement toward and away from the same,shelter structures connected to said central and side fence structures,closures for said shelter structures, movable closures between saidcentral fence structure and side fence structures, three part hingesconnected respectively to said side fence structures and to saidclosures, means for locking said hinges to said side fence structures,.and means for detachably connecting said closures to said centraldividing fence structure.

14. In a portable stock pen, a central dividing structure, sidestructures spaced from the central structure, closures between saidcentral structure and said side structure, means for coupling saiddividing structure to said central structure for movement toward andaway from each other, shelter devices connected to said central and sidestructures, closures for said shelter devices, said shelter devicesbeing foldable together.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM C. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

H. S. MOORE, ALLEN M. BATES.

